Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Needham.
Hi Tara, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Stampede of Love’s journey began Spring of 2004 in Southern California with our first Miniature Horse named Leo. Initially, we faced many challenges in educating people about the benefits of animal-assisted therapy using Miniature horses. Until then, people were accustomed to seeing dogs in this role. But we worked very hard spreading awareness and volunteering in various events. We visited schools, hospitals, and nursing homes and participated in numerous community events. Leo participated in special needs rodeos, Kid City at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, and The Hollywood Charity Horse show with William Shatner. In 2006 we relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. It was not long before Leo spread Love with people of all ages and abilities through visits and numerous volunteer opportunities, so much so that we have added four more Miniature Horses to our team-Lola, Taz, Peaches, and Leo’s son, Kiwi. Our adventures have spread the Love not only in North Carolina but also to Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. Events include regular visits with students at local colleges, Raleigh parades and festivals, the Kentucky Horse Park guest breed presentations, the National Cherry Blossom and Fourth of July parades in Washington, D.C., the Azalea Parade in Wilmington, Durham Bulls Fan Fest, North Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest and even to weddings as ring bearers and flower fillies. Kiwi also starred in a full-length feature film Reggie: A Millennial Depression Comedy. Filmed in and around Salisbury, NC, the movie focuses on the benefits of animal-assisted therapy for a man with depression and communication challenges. You can see the film on Amazon Prime. Leo and Kiwi have been accepted into the Equus Horse Stars Hall of Fame. Our next event takes our team to Georgia for the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade. We are very excited.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Only sometimes smooth. We often ran into situations where a lack of knowledge made participating in activities with the Miniature Horses challenging.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I have worked for the State of North Carolina for 16 years. Stampede of Love is my true passion. Unfortunately, it does not pay the bills. So I look for as many opportunities to volunteer with them in every moment of my free time. Stampede of Love is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Patience. Unfortunately, the horses had a long vacation. They were perfectly fine playing and rolling in the mud, But I know it was a difficult time for many people. This is where the horses would have excelled with their therapy and mental stress relief. But it was uncertain, so we had to sit back and wait for things to improve. We are so blessed to be able to return to what we love.
Pricing:
- Donations to help with insurance and travel costs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stampedeoflove.org/
